Graduate Catalog 2014-15

TUITION AND FEES

The tuition and fees charged to students are established by the University Board of Trustees and are subject to change without prior notice whenever conditions make such changes necessary. Tuition and fees, as approved by the Board of Trustees, are published on the University's website, www.siue.edu/apply/tuition.

In addition to fees noted on the University's tuition and fee schedule, a student is subject to certain other charges such as graduation fees, transcript fees and course specific fees.

Graduate students who wish to use University resources without otherwise enrolling in course work are expected to register in UNIV 500 for a fee of $37.50. Master's degree candidates who have completed required thesis credit hours and all other course requirements should use this form of enrollment to maintain student status while meeting with faculty and using Lovejoy Library, computer labs, and other such campus facilities. The tuition associated with enrollment in UNIV 500 does not provide access to campus services that would otherwise be available through payment of student fees.

FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Students at SIUE will incur certain financial obligations. Although they may be eligible for various forms of financial assistance, the final responsibility for those financial obligations is the student's. These financial obligations constitute an educational loan to assist in financing the student's education and are not dischargable under the United States Bankruptcy Court. The University has an installment payment plan designed to make payment of tuition, fees, and other charges as convenient as possible. Failure to meet financial obligations will have serious consequences: late fees will be applied to past due amounts and transcripts and diplomas will not be issued. Continued failure to pay a past due debt may result in the debt being referred to a collection agency. In that event, collection costs may be added to the student's account. For information regarding the Installment Payment Plan's policies, procedures, due dates and more, please visit our website, www.siue.edu/bursar.

RESIDENCY STATUS, DETERMINATION OF

Students' residency status affects two primary considerations: tuition and financial assistance. Ordinarily, determination of residency status is made by the Office of Admissions Review and Processing from evidence furnished on the application for admission to the University. If such evidence is insufficient, or if records establish that students do not meet the requirements for resident status as defined in the following regulations, non-resident status is assigned.

Definitions and Conditions

Adults, to be considered residents for purposes of tuition, must have been bona fide residents of the State of Illinois for at least six consecutive months immediately preceding the beginning of any term at the University and must continue to maintain a bona fide residence in the state. Adult students who have a parent or both parents maintaining bona fide residence in the state and who reside in the parental home or elsewhere in the state are considered resident students.

Persons under 18 years of age are considered minors. The residence of minors shall be considered to be and to change with that of the parent(s) or legal or natural guardian(s). Parents or legal or natural guardians will not be considered residents of the state unless they maintain a bona fide and permanent place of abode within the state.

If minors are emancipated, are completely self-supporting, and reside in the state, they shall be considered residents, even though the parents or guardians may reside outside the state. Marriage or active military service shall be regarded as effecting the emancipation of minors for the purpose of this regulation.

The term bona fide residence refers to the true, fixed, and permanent home and place of habitation to which individuals intend to return after a temporary absence. Evidence used to determine bona fide residence includes such items as voter registration, place of filing tax returns, proof of property ownership or year-'round residence, driver's license, automobile registration, or place of employment.

Nonresident students married to residents of the state may be classified as residents while residing in the state. The spouses through whom students claim residence must demonstrate resident status according to the requirements that apply to all students seeking resident status.

Students who are not citizens of the United States of America, to be considered residents for tuition purposes, must either be married to residents or have permanent resident status with the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service, and must comply with all other applicable regulations to establish resident status. Students considered residents for tuition purposes may need to meet additional criteria in order to be eligible for federal student financial assistance.

Persons actively serving in one of the armed forces of the United States, stationed and present in the State of Illinois in connection with that service, and submitting evidence of such service and station, shall be treated as residents while stationed and present in Illinois. If the spouses or dependent children of such members of the armed forces also live in the state, similar treatment shall be granted to them.

Persons actively serving outside the state in one of the armed forces of the United States are considered residents only if they were residents of the state at the time of entry into military service. Those separated from active military service are considered residents of Illinois immediately upon separation under the following conditions:

1. they were residents of the state at the time of entry into military service, or

2. they were treated as residents while in the military by attending school at this University while stationed within the state, or

3. they resided within the state for a period of six months after separation and immediately prior to the term for which they claim residency.

Persons incarcerated in a state or federal place of detention within the State of Illinois will be treated as residents for tuition assessment purposes while remaining in that place of detention. If bona fide residence is established in Illinois upon release from detention, the duration of residence shall be deemed to include the prior period of detention.

The spouses and dependent children of all employees on appointment with the University are considered resident students for purposes of tuition assessment during the term of such appointment.

Students may have their residency status reclassified, on the basis of additional or changed information, by filing a written request for review at the Service Center. The written request for review must be filed within 30 school days of the day on which classes begin for the term for which a residency change is requested.

A student seeking reclassification from non-resident to resident status is liable for the tuition and fees assessed, but, if granted, the change of residency and any tuition change shall apply for the term in which reclassification occurs. In the case of a student classified as a resident who is reclassified as a non-resident, the change to nonresident status and adjustment of tuition shall apply for the term following the reclassification. If the University has classified a student as a resident on the basis of false or falsified documents furnished by the student, the reclassification to non-resident status shall be retroactive to the first term during which residence status was based on these incorrect documents. The student also may be subject to sanctions under student conduct guidelines.

Appeal of Residency Review Decisions

A student who is dissatisfied with the ruling in response to a written request for review of residency status may appeal the ruling to the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs by filing a written request with that office within 20 days of the notice of the first ruling. Appeals should be sent to Campus Box 1058, SIUE, Edwardsville, IL 62026-1058.

Registration

Registration is generally available to students by March 15 for Summer and Fall terms and by October 15 for the Spring term. Specific registration schedules are published on the Registrar's web site at www.siue.edu/registrar. Online registration is available to students through CougarNet at www.siue.edu/COUGARNET.

All students, with the exception of unclassified students, must meet with an academic advisor prior to registration. During this advising session, an enrollment (alternate) PIN is issued that will be required to access web registration. It is important that you plan your schedule appropriately ensuring that all pre-requisites and class restrictions have been satisfied prior to enrollment. Pre-requisites and class restrictions may be reviewed in the class schedule published through CougarNet.

To avoid unnecessary problems with enrollment, please follow these guidelines:

• Meet with an adviser

• Retain your Enrollment PIN until the term begins

• Ensure that you have cleared any holds that may be

on your record

• Ensure that pre-requisites and class restrictions

are satisfied

• Obtain approval to enroll when necessary

• Register early in the registration period

• Obtain your billing information through CougarNet

• Make payment by the due date

Registrations may be cancelled by the University for academic, disciplinary or financial reasons. While the University reserves the right to cancel students for administrative reasons, it is the student's responsibility to drop classes in which enrollment is no longer desired. Schedule changes may be made online through the Friday preceding the first day of the term.

Students are expected to register before the term begins. It is advisable to register as early as possible to ensure sufficient space availability in desired classes. Beginning with the first day of the term, students will be assessed a non-refundable $25 late registration fee. No registrations will be accepted after the second week of the semester.

Changes in Registration

Students may make changes to your class schedule online via web registration or in the Service Center, Rendleman Hall, room 1309, or in the unit in which the student originally registered, through the Friday prior to the first day of class. Beginning with the first day of the term, all schedule changes must be made in the Service Center. The change is official only when this procedure is complete. Students are officially registered for only those courses and sections appearing on their registration documents, and as modified by official changes they have made with their advisor. Students may add classes using CougarNet provided that class pre-requisites and restrictions have been satisfied, an enrollment (alternate) PIN has been obtained and if appropriate, the student does not have any holds. In addition, students may process changes in the Service Center using a signed registration or add/drop form. All schedule changes should be confirmed using CougarNet.

Adding Classes

Effective the first day of the term, all undergraduate classes are considered "closed." Students who want to add a class after the first day must obtain the instructor's written approval. This permission to gain admission to the class will generally be given on the registration form, which must be taken to the Service Center, Rendleman Hall, room 1309, for processing by the end of the first week of classes. After the first week, the approval of the department chair and advisor is also needed to add a class. The only classes which may be added after the second week are those which start after the end of the second week; including workshops and independent reading classes. Exceptions must be approved by the appropriate dean and the registrar.

If students add classes that increase the amount of tuition and fees they are required to pay, the procedure is handled in one of two ways:

1. If tuition and fees have not been paid, a new tuition calculation is completed to reflect the increased amount.

2. If tuition and fees have been paid, the additional hours will generate a new tuition cost for that term, and the students will receive an additional e-bill in most cases.

WITHDRAWAL AND REFUNDS

Dropping Classes

Students who find it necessary to drop a class must do so at the Service Center. Students may drop a course within the following guidelines by submitting a completed add/drop form with authorizations as appropriate. Students dropping a class during weeks 1-2 will receive a refund of tuition and fees for the class. After week 2, students remain financially responsible for all tuition and fees with no refund given. Students dropping all classes for the term should refer to the section titled "Withdrawing from the University."

Fall and Spring Semesters

Weeks 1-2 - Students may drop a class without permission of the instructor and have no entry on the transcript.

Weeks 3-10 - Students may drop a class without permission of the instructor. Grade of "W" is automatically assigned.

Weeks 11-13 - Students may drop a class only with approval of the instructor and advisor; grade of "WP" or "WF" must be assigned by instructor; "WF" is computed in the GPA as an "F."

After Week 13 - No class may be dropped; a grade other than "W," "WP," or "WF" must be assigned by the instructor.

Summer Term

Weeks 1-2 - Students may drop a class without permission of the instructor and have no entry on the transcript.

Weeks 3-5 - Students may drop a class without permission of the instructor. Grade of "W" is automatically assigned.

Weeks 6-8 - Students may drop a class only with approval of the instructor and advisor; grade of "WP" or "WF" must be assigned by instructor; "WF" is computed in the GPA as an "F."

After Week 8 - No class may be dropped; a grade other than "W," "WP," or "WF" must be assigned by the instructor.

Different deadlines apply to weekend, short-term classes and workshops scheduled in nontraditional formats. Contact the Service Center for information or visit the registrar's Web site, www.siue.edu/registrar.

Absence from class does not constitute dropping a class or withdrawing from the University, so you must follow these instructions to avoid the assignment of failing grades. However, through the 10th week of each semester, faculty may request that students who fail to meet attendance requirements be removed from class.

Because students who drop all classes are considered to be withdrawing from the University for that term, that transaction must be initiated according to the procedure below.

Withdrawing from the University

Students who find it necessary to withdraw from the University during any term must initiate official withdrawal procedures in the Service Center, Rendleman Hall, room 1309. All withdrawals must be completed by the end of the 13th week of classes during fall and spring, and by the end of the 8th week for summer full-term classes. Different deadlines apply to short-term classes or workshops scheduled in non-traditional formats. Inquiries regarding withdrawal deadlines should be directed to the Service Center. A 100% refund of tuition and fees (with the exception of the late registration fee) is possible only if withdrawal and refund requests are officially completed within the first two weeks of the term. All textbooks or library materials on loan must be returned before a withdrawal is considered effective and a refund is approved.

Tuition and Fee Refund

All withdrawals must generally be completed by the end of the 8th week of classes. Different deadlines apply to short-term classes or workshops scheduled in non-traditional formats. Inquiries regarding withdrawal deadlines should be directed to the Service Center or the Office of Continuing Education as noted above.

A 100% refund of tuition and mandatory fees (including the Student-to-Student Grant fee but excluding the late registration fee) is possible only if withdrawal and refund requests are officially completed within:

• the first 2 weeks of the term for a course that lasts 8 weeks or more,

• the first week of the term for a course that lasts at least 4 weeks, but less than eight weeks, or

• the 1st class meeting for a course that lasts less than 4 weeks.

All textbooks or library materials on loan must be returned before a withdrawal is considered effective and a refund is approved.

A partial refund of 50% of tuition shall be given if the student's withdrawal from the University is processed after the dates outlined above, and before the deadlines outlined below:

• the last day of the 4th week for a course that lasts 8 weeks or more;

• the last day of the 2nd week for a course that lasts at least 4 weeks, but less than 8 weeks;

• the 4th class meeting for a course that lasts at least 11 days, but less than 4 weeks;

• the 2nd class meeting for a course that lasts 10 days or less.

Students enrolled in courses lasting longer than 8 weeks and who receive a partial refund of tuition shall be given a 100% refund of mandatory student fees if they officially withdraw from the university by the last day of the third week.

For all other students who receive a partial refund of tuition, no mandatory fees shall be refunded.

Students who receive a partial refund of tuition shall be assessed an administrative fee of $100.

No tuition or mandatory fees shall be refunded after the deadlines stated above except for students entering military service for six months or longer, or students in grave circumstances who demonstrate to the satisfaction of the chancellor or the chancellor's designee that, for reasons beyond their control, they are unable to continue their educational program. Nothing in this policy shall preclude the chancellor from complying with any applicable state or federal law or regulation.